MD - Priest, accused of abuse in Baltimore, gets “off the hook"

A credibly accused predator priest who spent time at three institutions in Baltimore and is accused of molesting in Maryland got “off the hook” yesterday when a court ruling ended a lawsuit against him and his church supervisors.

Fr. Raymond P. Melville worked at Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Locust Point (1980 to 1984), the University of Maryland Hospital (1982 to 1983), and attended the University of Baltimore and St. Mary's Seminary (1979 to 1985). Fr. Melville’s been accused of abusing while at the seminary (as well as in Maine).

He spent much of his clerical career in Maine. Yesterday, the Maine Supreme Court ruled that a civil suit charging that the Maine Catholic hierarchy should have disclosed Fr. Melville’s crimes should be tossed out.

It’s heart-breaking every time a clergy sex abuse victim is denied his or her day in court. It’s disturbing every time a Catholic official seeks to keep clergy sex crimes hidden by exploiting legal loopholes. And it’s especially disturbing when those Catholic officials succeed.

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Molest or priests get off the hook all the time….it does,not make them any less guilty or any less dangerous to the community, they can and will always molest again, and again, and again…the only cure is death. Responsible citizens must isolate them and instigate their punishment by any means necessary. NOT MY KIDS, NOT IN MY COMMUNITY!